I'm currently looking for a used disc harrow for my 25HP Kubota L2501. I'll be using it to turn over rocky, untilled heavy clay soil in the mountains of northern PA. Conventional wisdom states that an implement should cover your tractor tracks. Therefore, everyone seems to push towards a 5' to 6' unit. Is there a down downside to going with a smaller 4' unit? I realize that it will take longer to do the same size field and that I'll have some tire tracks when I'm finished. But if I'm going to cultipack before seeding, does that really matter? I found a good deal on a 48" unit, and I'm tempted...
Downside to disc harrow being narrower than tractor tread width?
- Thread starter Lionfan79
- Start date
- Views: 7092
-
- Tags
- disc harrow
Welcome to TBN
I might try the 4ft one. If there is a problem, paint it and sell it for 20% more than you paid.
What's the weight on the 4ft one? A photo would help. I've seen some so light that they just bounced over everything, unless it was already loose. Just a cultivator, not for breaking up ground.
Bruce
I might try the 4ft one. If there is a problem, paint it and sell it for 20% more than you paid.
What's the weight on the 4ft one? A photo would help. I've seen some so light that they just bounced over everything, unless it was already loose. Just a cultivator, not for breaking up ground.
Bruce
oosik
Epic Contributor
I have a four foot Land Pride disc harrow - 1048. It proved to be too light to disc my ground. Like bcp said - - it just bounces along behind my tractor. I bought it when I owned a Ford 1700 4WD. I still have it and it's no better, as you would expect, behind my Kubota.
It is the last light duty implement that I need to upgrade. I've gone to Cat 2 on my rear blade and a HD grapple. My roll over box blade ( ROBB) is heavy enough. So are the remainder of my implements.
I will be breaking virgin ground with the disc harrow.
In my case - a disc harrow heavy enough to break my ground was just too heavy for my Ford 1700 to handle. I got a heavy single bottom moldboard plow - but that would take forever to open up ten acres or more.
It is the last light duty implement that I need to upgrade. I've gone to Cat 2 on my rear blade and a HD grapple. My roll over box blade ( ROBB) is heavy enough. So are the remainder of my implements.
I will be breaking virgin ground with the disc harrow.
In my case - a disc harrow heavy enough to break my ground was just too heavy for my Ford 1700 to handle. I got a heavy single bottom moldboard plow - but that would take forever to open up ten acres or more.
jeff9366
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 12,777
- Tractor
- Kubota Tractor Loader L3560 HST+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3,700 pounds bare tractor, 5,400 pounds operating weight, 37 horsepower
I'm currently looking for a used disc harrow for my 25HP/ 2,700 pound bare weight Kubota L2501. I'll be using it to turn over rocky, untilled heavy clay soil in the mountains of northern PA.
An light Disc Harrow will be ineffective. Disc Harrows become marginally effective with pans 18" in diameter, quite effective with pans 22" in diameter.
Conventional recommendation is a PTO powered roto-tiller for light tractors.
If your field contains gravel rather than large stones, a spring-protected three (3) shank or four (4) shank All Purpose Plow would be an alternative implement. Food plot seeds are generally eager germinators. APP will provide sufficient bed if field is rolled after seeding.
(( Regardless, mow your field as low as possible before tilling. ))
www.tractorbynet.com
An light Disc Harrow will be ineffective. Disc Harrows become marginally effective with pans 18" in diameter, quite effective with pans 22" in diameter.
Conventional recommendation is a PTO powered roto-tiller for light tractors.
If your field contains gravel rather than large stones, a spring-protected three (3) shank or four (4) shank All Purpose Plow would be an alternative implement. Food plot seeds are generally eager germinators. APP will provide sufficient bed if field is rolled after seeding.
(( Regardless, mow your field as low as possible before tilling. ))
Dirt Dog - All Purpose Plow / Field Cultivator REVIEW + PICTURES
Dirt Dog All Purpose Plow / Field Cultivator Dirt Dog Model APP 66-5 Total Width 66", Working Width 62", Five Tines, Weight 284 Pounds, Paid $835.00 (2010) Field Cultivator: A Three Point Hitch mounted, secondary tillage implement, used to perform operations such as soil aeration...
www.tractorbynet.com
Last edited:
Lineman North Florida
Elite Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2008
- Messages
- 2,533
- Location
- LaCrosse Florida
- Tractor
- Farmtrac 360 DTC with FEL & John Deere 5093E with FEL ,Kubota SVL 75-2
Jeff gave you some good advice, I believe you will be disappointed with a 4' light weight harrow, one thing I didn't see you mention was if the harrow is adjustable, meaning being able to angle the gangs to where they would be cutting at an aggressive angle to your direction of travel, I would stay away from any disc that is not adjustable.
celilly
New member
- Joined
- Mar 30, 2022
- Messages
- 5
- Tractor
- Massey Ferguson 1825E with Loader and Massey Ferguson GC1723EB with Loader & Backhoe
I really think that you will be disappointed in a light 4ft disc. I watched my dad and uncles pile on cinder blocks, metal or anything else they could find to weight the disc down so it would cut. When it came time for me to buy a disc, I bought the heaviest one I could find in the size my tractor would handle. I bought an older large frame International Harvester 120 Disc Harrow. It weighs around 800-900lbs and has a 7ft cut. It does a great job and my tractor handles it very well. I have a Massey Ferguson 1825E which is similar to your Kubota L2501.
ROUSTABOUT
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2008
- Messages
- 3,140
- Location
- Luther Willis Hill, AR
- Tractor
- Pettibone, Ford, Massey Ferguson, International, JD, David Bradley, home mades
Un tilled ground around here gets a ripper or break plow before a disc. Disc is no good initially. it's Sandy Loamy here. Easy but clay and rocks for sure no. I also think a 4' disc is fine to get. We use a 5' behind a 7' tractor all the time. Never has shut us down. We have an 8' offset disc with a tongue and wheels, it takes weight and power to pull that implement. 14' regular disc is much easier.
I’d like to thank everyone for their time and the great input! Based on the responses received, I’d like to add a few additional clarifiers regarding my situation.
My property is on the top of a mountain and has about 3 acres of open area (an old abandoned meadow). I turned about 1 acre with a box blade last year and I kicked up a lot of rocks from about 6” to 12” in size (and some even larger). The field actually looked worse when I finished. I thought that maybe the disk would “hop over” the rocks instead of kicking them out of the ground. I was hoping to use a disc harrow to scratch some soil about 3” deep to I could put in a food plot for deer (primarily clover and chicory). As it stands now, I have about a 1 acre rock garden that I need to clean up. (Not a lot of fun at the age of 65!
Based on responses so far, it looks like my best option is to continue using the box blade to break the soil, clean up the rocks, and then get a 5’ adjustable disk harrow (possibly a 500lb Wood’s) for my 25HP tractor. Any additional comments are very, very welcome!!!
My property is on the top of a mountain and has about 3 acres of open area (an old abandoned meadow). I turned about 1 acre with a box blade last year and I kicked up a lot of rocks from about 6” to 12” in size (and some even larger). The field actually looked worse when I finished. I thought that maybe the disk would “hop over” the rocks instead of kicking them out of the ground. I was hoping to use a disc harrow to scratch some soil about 3” deep to I could put in a food plot for deer (primarily clover and chicory). As it stands now, I have about a 1 acre rock garden that I need to clean up. (Not a lot of fun at the age of 65!
Based on responses so far, it looks like my best option is to continue using the box blade to break the soil, clean up the rocks, and then get a 5’ adjustable disk harrow (possibly a 500lb Wood’s) for my 25HP tractor. Any additional comments are very, very welcome!!!
jeff9366
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2011
- Messages
- 12,777
- Tractor
- Kubota Tractor Loader L3560 HST+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3,700 pounds bare tractor, 5,400 pounds operating weight, 37 horsepower
Every light Disc Harrow I have seen has scalloped pans. Scalloped pans cut/penetrate hard ground much better than smooth pans but are intrinsically weaker than smooth pans, therefore potentially subject to rock damage. Smooth pans do not penetrate well until they are 22" or more in diameter, which is much too much Disc Harrow for your L2501.
I turned about 1 acre with a box blade last year. I kicked up a lot of rocks from about 6” to 12” in size (and some even larger).
The widest pan spacing you can get on a Disc Harrow your tractor can manage is 9", measured with the gang angles flat. When the gangs are angled, as they must be for the pans to penetrate, rock channel between the pans may be only 5".
(( Adjustability varies moderately between Disc Harrow brands. ))
MORE: Remove rocks from soil field site:tractorbynet.com
I turned about 1 acre with a box blade last year. I kicked up a lot of rocks from about 6” to 12” in size (and some even larger).
The widest pan spacing you can get on a Disc Harrow your tractor can manage is 9", measured with the gang angles flat. When the gangs are angled, as they must be for the pans to penetrate, rock channel between the pans may be only 5".
(( Adjustability varies moderately between Disc Harrow brands. ))
MORE: Remove rocks from soil field site:tractorbynet.com
Last edited: